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Hunter Clark (St Kilda). Estimated price: $311,000 DEF

Could the injury-cursed Saint be the Jack Sinclair of 2023? The breakout ingredients are all there – top-10 draft pick entering his seventh season, and no one doubts Clark’s talent. Getting on the park regularly has been the issue – being subbed out at halftime in round 23 with a groin injury summed up another frustrating year. It’s fair to say he has shown glimpses rather than consistent evidence of elite KFC SuperCoach scoring ability (his best season average is 81.7 in 2020) but he will be priced at around a 60 average and the Saints are screaming out for some class through the midfield. Do the right thing, Ratts.

Dom Sheed (West Coast). Estimated price: $255,000 MID

Sheed epitomised the Eagles’ cursed 2022 season, suffering an ankle injury in the first practice match in February then going down again in his comeback game with a stress-related lower leg injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season. The result was one game for the year for a KFC SuperCoach score of 67. His extremely limited game time should deliver a huge price discount and he will start in the Will Brodie/Stephen Coniglio price range from this year. Sheed hasn’t been a premium scorer in the past but he has consistently averaged 80-plus with a career-best of 95 in West Coast’s premiership season. He should get regular midfield time and anything close to that would be enough for a big price bump.

Lachie Whitfield (GWS Giants). Estimated price: $468,000 DEF/MID

Could we? Whitfield is on the ‘never again’ list of many KFC SuperCoaches after burning the more than 80,000 who started him this year at what we thought was a bargain price of $502k. But there were some excuses. Whitfield was played all over the field – often in the same game – and missed matches with ankle and hip injuries, which he probably also carried while he was in the team. His form improved under Mark McVeigh – averaging 94 after the Giants’ bye – but it will all come down to new coach Adam Kingsley and how he uses Whitfield in the pre-season. If he parks him at half-back and allows him to maximise his elite running and disposal, it will be hard to resist a 28-year-old priced at 86 who has averaged 90-plus in five of the past six seasons including 111 and 104 in 2019-20.

Errol Gulden (Sydney). Estimated price: $466,000 FWD-MID

A premium jump was surely only a matter of time – after all, Gulden posted 139 and 136 in the opening two games of his career. Finishing the season with an average of 85.7 doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that Gulden can launch to 100-plus next season. What does, however, are the shifts we saw in his game and role this year. Gulden spent more time on a wing this season and won more possessions than his debut campaign behind the ball. The beauty is he spent more than enough time in the attacking 50 to still be listed as a FWD next year. Gulden’s average was ranked 33rd of this year’s forwards, but only 11 points off the top-10 (Adam Treloar was 10th at 96.4). In round 20 against the Giants, Gulden tallied career-high disposals (33), metres gained (697), marks (12) and inside-50s (10), on his way to a season-high 131 points. Those sort of performances will be the norm soon, possibly as soon as next year.

Harry Himmelberg (GWS Giants). Estimated price: $492,000 DEF/FWD

Next to moving Stephen Coniglio back into his preferred midfield role, the best thing Mark McVeigh did as interim GWS coach for KFC SuperCoaches was shifting Himmelberg to defence. Himmelberg’s price got as low as $318k after round 11, when he provided a sign of things to come with 126 points with 20 disposals and seven marks against Brisbane. The next match against North Melbourne was a monster – 16 marks, 37 disposals and almost 700m gained, for 187 points. Himmelberg will be priced at an average of about 91, yet averaged 112 from round 11 onwards. And he’s likely to retain DPP status. Expect him to be one of the top starting picks next year if Adam Kingsley continues what McVeigh started with Himmelberg in defence.

Hayden Young (Fremantle). Estimated price: $502,000 DEF

OK, a player costing about $500,000 doesn’t scream bargain pick. But Young is charting towards an average of 100-plus, having lifted his average from 77 to 92 this year. The reason he’s on this bargain list is that he could be a keeper for just over $500k. Between rounds 13-21 this year the 21-year-old ranked fifth of all general defenders in the AFL for uncontested possessions and marks, sixth for disposals and eighth for intercepts. Young finished the season with an elite disposal efficiency of 82.1 per cent, which compares favourably to top KFC SuperCoach defender Tom Stewart (84.2 per cent). Young averaged 97.3 from round 12 onwards. Perhaps the only question mark will be who out of Luke Ryan, Heath Chapman and Young start the year as the Dockers’ No.1 distributor. Keep an eye on Freo’s back six setup as season 2023 draws closer.
 
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KFC SuperCoach AFL: Bargain buys for 2023 season assessed

Haven’t started thinking about your KFC SuperCoach plans for 2023? Now’s the time. In the first of a four-part series, we look at the potential bargains to monitor this off-season.

Tim Michell, Al Paton and The Phantom

t’s never too early to start KFC SuperCoach planning for next year.
In the first of a four-part series, three of our KFC SuperCoach experts have identified 11 potential bargains to monitor during the off-season.


From injury-cursed former KFC SuperCoach studs to potential breakout stars, this list has something for everyone.

And it tells us new coaches Alastair Clarkson and Adam Kingsley could have a huge say in the final make-up of our teams, depending on how they use some potentially underpriced stars.

Scroll down to see which players should be on your watch list for 2023.

Tarryn Thomas (North Melbourne). Estimated price: $292,000 MID/FWD

Can Alastair Clarkson unlock the true potential of North Melbourne’s No.8 draft pick from 2018? We certainly hope so. Thomas looked certain to make the jump to KFC SuperCoach premium status after finishing the 2021 campaign with three tons in five matches and an average of 103 in his last seven games. His finish was so eye-catching, some coaches were willing to pay $459,300 at the start of this season to make sure they didn’t miss out on his breakout campaign. Yet, for a variety of reasons including form and role, Thomas’ average regressed from 84.4 to 53.7. He’s expected to be about $170k cheaper to start next season than he was in round 1 this year and will surely be one of the biggest pre-season focuses for KFC SuperCoaches. He’ll likely be about $65k more expensive than Will Brodie started this year, but the potential for a similar breakout season is clearly there. Thomas averaged 25 disposals, 131 KFC SuperCoach points and 7.4 score involvements in five VFL matches, including scores of 164 and 148. Over to you, Clarko.

Dustin Martin (Richmond). Estimated price: $474,000 MID/FWD

Richmond superstar Martin’s KFC SuperCoach average of 87.2 was his lowest since his debut campaign of 2010 and only the third time in his illustrious career he has averaged less than 90 points a game. Does that present a bargain or cause for concern? Martin had a lot go against him this year, returning from serious injury, taking time off for personal reasons and then being sidelined again. After scoring his annual round 1 ton against Carlton, Martin’s season-high 119 in round 9 was the only other time he hit triple figures. However, it’s worth noting he played more time forward than in previous years and still only scored less than 70 once. Of course, five scores of 69-83 in eight matches are a long way from premium numbers. But if Martin returns to anywhere near his damaging best, he could be a huge bargain. If priced at his average of 87, Martin will likely be available for about $450-470k. If a discount is applied for playing eight matches, Martin for less than $450k would be hard to resist – should he get through most of pre-season. With 35 trades, KFC SuperCoaches have enough to take a risk or two on a player and renowned fast starter Martin could well be worth the punt. The landscape changes significantly if he’s playing elsewhere next year, but that talk seems to have died down.

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle). Estimated price: $309,000 MID/FWD

Nat Fyfe for less than $350k? Surely not? It sounds crazy – even writing it felt wrong – but it might be a reality next year after the Freo skipper averaged 63.3 from seven games during an injury-hit 2022 season. If an injury discount is applied, Fyfe might even come in at closer to $300k. And, that’s before we even consider the fact he’s likely to be listed as a FWD/MID. Fyfe hasn’t started a season that cheap since 2011, his second year in the AFL. The obvious concern is his recent injury history. Fyfe has played only 36 games in the past three years, including seven in 2022. Picking injury-prone players is asking for trouble in KFC SuperCoach, but for hypothetical reasons let’s say he gets through pre-season. Even as a potential stepping stone to a more durable premium, could you really overlook a massively discounted Fyfe? Not if he has DPP, surely.

Will Phillips (North Melbourne). Estimated price: $207,000 MID-FWD

Let’s say the No.3 draft pick from a few years back gets a 20 per cent discount after not playing a game this year? That would price Phillips about $207k to start the 2023 season, only $9k more than many coaches were prepared to pay to have him in their teams before his debut was pushed back to round 3 last year. Hoping for a 30 per cent discount might seem a bit rich, but we can only dream. Phillips managed only three VFL games this year (averaging 15 disposals and 54 KFC SuperCoach points) as he struggled with bouts of glandular fever and Covid. It’s been a rough start to AFL life for a player who posted huge numbers as a junior. North Melbourne’s most recent injury/health update said Phillips would have to build his loads during pre-season, having missed so much football this year. Depending on the rookie situation next year – and Phillips’ health – paying $190k or thereabouts might become a necessity. He was listed as a FWD/MID this year and should Phillips retain DPP status and work his way into Clarko’s plans, he might be the cheap F6 many coaches crave. Then again, that’s a lot of ifs and buts. Keep him in mind, but a lot would need to go right between now and round 1 of 2023 for him to feature in your KFC SuperCoach side.

Oscar Allen (West Coast). Estimated price: $242,000 FWD

Key forwards are usually a no-go area in KFC SuperCoach but we’ve seen in the past two years if they are cheap enough, they can make some serious cash. In 2021, Joe Daniher jumped in value by almost $200k in 10 rounds and this year SuperCoaches brave enough to start Charlie Curnow reaped a $250k profit after both started at a price similar to what Allen is likely to be next year. Allen didn’t play a game in 2022 due to a nagging foot injury but he will become even more crucial to the Eagles in 2023 after Josh Kennedy’s retirement. Back in 2020, he scored 152 against Collingwood en route to a season average of 78.6, right around the mark Daniher and Curnow hit in the past two years. Speaking of key forwards, Gold Coast’s Ben King is likely to be even cheaper coming back from knee surgery, but with just two tons from 53 games and a career-high average of 55, he’s probably a pass.
Thanks Dave, you da man :)
 
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Hi all,
can someone please post the herald sun articles from this week?
KFC SuperCoach AFL: Bargain buys for 2023 season assessed
George Hewett and Will Brodie were two of the KFC SuperCoach heroes of 2022 — but will their premium scoring continue? We assess which breakout players are the real deal.
Tim Michell, Al Paton and The Phantom

19 min read
September 7, 2022 - 1:29PM

Season 2022 provided all the evidence you’ll ever need that finding value in your starting squad is the ticket to KFC SuperCoach success.
Coaches who picked Patrick Cripps, Will Brodie, James Sicily, Stephen Coniglio, George Hewett and Jarrod Witts to start the year got a huge jump on the rest of the competition – a gap some were still reaping the rewards of 22 weeks later.

With a limited salary cap we need to squeeze the most points possible out of every dollar and that means finding players who will outperform their starting price.
And value can come in a variety of forms. Players returning from injury (Sicily, Witts), players getting opportunity in a new role or at a new club (Brodie, Hewett), stars returning to their best (Cripps, Lachie Neale), and breakout guns ready to jump into the elite bracket (Jack Sinclair).

SCROLL DOWN FOR 11 MORE EARLY 2023 BARGAINS

Some players catch us by surprise, but for most there is a story behind the numbers – Jordan Dawson, for example, averaged 114 from his last nine games in 2021, so it wasn’t a huge shock that he carried that form to a new club in 2022.
The more digging you do, the more likely you are to find the nugget who can help you dominate.
So who should we have on the radar for 2023? Here are a few names to get you thinking, a mix of 2022 breakout stars who could go to another level and proven scorers who could return to what we know they can do.
And if you missed part one of our four-part (very early) pre-season series, scroll down for 11 more potential bargains.

FINALS BOLTER

Toby McLean (Western Bulldogs). Estimated price: $199,000 FWD/MID
Did we just see the bargain of 2023? McLean had dropped totally off the radar after suffering two ACL injuries in as many years, restricting him to three games in 2021 and none this year until he was recalled to the Dogs’ line-up for their elimination final. He quickly reminded us why he has been a successful KFC SuperCoach pick in the past, racking up nine touches in the first quarter on the way to 21 for the game – plus nine tackles – and 100 KFC SuperCoach points. Back in 2018 McLean was one of the best starting picks of the season, averaging 111 over the first 10 rounds (and finishing with a 95 average). That’s a long time ago and the Dogs’ midfield is set for a post-season shake-up, but at a rookie price the 26-year-old will be getting a lot more attention from fantasy coaches this summer.

2022 BREAKOUT STARS

Will Brodie (Fremantle). Estimated price: $556,000 MID
Career average 67.8 | 2022 average 102.4

The Phantom has been telling us for years that it was only lack of opportunity that was holding Brodie back, and boy was he right. After 25 games in five years with Gold Coast and a top KFC SuperCoach average of 80.2 from eight games in 2018, Brodie experienced a serious breakout with 22 matches and an average of 102.4 this year. He won’t be $224k ever again, which was his starting price in 2022. But regardless of the higher price, Brodie has all the traits to continue to be a premium KFC SuperCoach scorer. He averaged 27.6 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 5.7 clearances and 5.5 clearances this year. When you consider how low his time on ground is compared to many other midfielders, those are elite numbers. Brodie averaged only 67 per cent TOG in the last month, compared to other midfielders such as Clayton Oliver (86 per cent TOG rounds 20-23) and Lachie Neale (89 per cent). Comparing Brodie to two of the AFL’s endurance beasts is probably unfair, but it provides some context for his scoring at least. If his TOG can improve to at least 75 per cent, there will be a decent argument Brodie can take another leap forward in KFC SuperCoach in 2023 – and David Mundy’s retirement could create that opportunity. It’s only that low TOG holding him back. It’s worth noting he will be MID only next year after being one of the top picks of 2022 as a FWD/MID. Based on that you’d want to be confident he can average at least 105 before starting him.

Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast). Estimated price: $597,000 MID
Career average: 83.2 | 2022 average: 109.9

Witts averaged between 87-99 in the past five years before making a huge leap to be the top ruckman of 2022. He was one of the best buys of the season for those who started him at $380k, scoring 117 or more in seven consecutive games from rounds 6-12 and peaking at $617k. While his scoring dipped after the bye (119.5 average pre-bye vs 98.4 post-bye) Witts still finished 158 points clear of the second-ranked ruckman for overall points – Max Gawn. The question KFC SuperCoaches will be asking when they weigh up their 2023 starting rucks will be whether Witts can replicate the first KFC SuperCoach 100-plus season average of his career. He led the AFL in hit-outs (average 37.9), hit-outs to advantage (13) and attended an average of 77 ruck contests a game (ranked second behind Reilly O’Brien). Comparing those numbers to 2019 – Witts’ last full season – he averaged 1.2 more hit-outs to advantage a game, but perhaps tellingly his hitout to advantage rate improved from 25.8 per cent in 2019 to 34.3 per cent this year. When sharked hit-outs cost points for ruckmen, that extra 10 per cent is significant. As Gold Coast continues to improve and push towards a maiden finals berth, there’s little to suggest Witts can’t continue to be a ruckman who averages triple figures. Whether he can hold off Gawn, Grundy and Co to remain the No. 1 scorer is another matter, though.

George Hewett (Carlton). Estimated price: $605,000 MID
Career average: 79.8 | 2022 average: 111.4

Hewett averaged more than 78 once in his career in Sydney but quickly established himself as a crucial member of Michael Voss’s beefed up Carlton midfield. After playing predominantly as a defender or tagger for Sydney, Hewett was unleashed as a contested bull after joining the Blues as a free agent. The result was career-best numbers for possessions (28.5 – previous best 21.9), tackles (4.9 – previous best 4.8), inside-50s (4.2 – previous best 2.3) and clearances (6.5 – previous best 4.7). Hewett will lose DEF status next year, which will make him a less attractive KFC SuperCoach option, but not one that should be completely discarded, pending his recovery from a back issue that prematurely ended his 2022 campaign. Seemingly the only thing holding him back from premium KFC SuperCoach scoring was a permanent midfield role and there’s no doubt he sits high in Voss’s engine room plans. He will be priced among the top on-ballers in the game, so KFC SuperCoaches would want to be confident Hewett can average 110-plus again. Considering 12 of his 15 matches this year were tons, why couldn’t he?

Mason Redman (Essendon). Estimated price: $505,000 DEF
Career average: 69.3 | 2022 average: 92.8

The rebounding Bomber didn’t quite have the premium breakout of some other players on this list, but the jump from 75.5 points a game in 2021 to 92.8 points was significant. Redman started the year slowly, averaging 70.2 points to round 5. But he exploded in his next 10 games, averaging 109.4 points and eventually peaking at $576k late in the season. His season-high of 176 points came in round 20, but Redman otherwise scored 49, 68, 63 and 55 in the last five rounds. He’s one of the hardest breakout players to judge as his ceiling is incredibly high, but his floor is also very low. The concern about Redman’s ability to take the next step and be a true premium defender is the presence of Jordan Ridley. Ridley is also an elite ball user and if Essendon’s next coach wants to use him in more of a distributor role, it will limit Redman’s output. Both Redman and Ridley have the quality to be top KFC SuperCoach defenders but they might struggle to reach the absolute heights of Stewart, Dawson, Sicily, Sinclair and Co while they cannibalise each other’s points.

Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne). Estimated price: $550,000 MID
Career average: 74 | 2022 average: 101.2

Finding players who finish a season strongly is a time-honoured tactic to identifying breakout stars for the next year. Davies-Uniacke’s 2022 campaign can be divided neatly in half – he averaged 88 in the first 11 rounds then roared home with a 113.2 average over the last 11 rounds including scores of 149, 141 and 138, highlighting his high ceiling (for comparison Lachie Neale averaged 110.6 over the same period). In that time LDU was also the AFL’s no. 1 centre clearance player. After showing elite ball-winning traits as a junior, the No. 4 draft pick is ready to explode under Alastair Clarkson in his sixth AFL season.
 
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Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide). Estimated price: $507,000 FWD/MID
Career average: 78.7 | 2022 average: 93.3

See above for the appeal of fast finishers, and Rozee fits the same category. His case is slightly different in that his spike in scoring followed a clear role change when he moved from playing mostly forward in the opening four rounds to being used primarily as a midfielder from round 5 onwards. The impact on Port Adelaide was stark (after starting the year 0-4 the Power went 10-8 from there) and on his KFC SuperCoach scoring, jumping from an average of 51.3 in the first month of the season to 102.7 for the rest of the year. And what really catches our attention is scores of 153 and 162 – this guy can go big. Pick 5 in the 2018 draft, Rozee will be priced at a 93 average and will hopefully retain dual-position status, making him one of the most exciting forward line prospects for 2023.

Nick Daicos (Collingwood). Estimated price: $496,000 DEF/MID
Career average: 91.3

The second-year KFC SuperCoach breakout is a rare and beautiful thing. Only the true elite have achieved it – think Marcus Bontempelli (who averaged 78.6 in his debut season and 103.2 in year two), Clayton Oliver (70.3 to 111.5) and Sam Walsh (86.9 to 101.1). Amazingly, Daicos outscored all of that trio in his debut season. How far can he go next year? He won’t come cheap but if he can add 10 points to his average we would be looking at a season keeper for under $500k, which could be very tempting in a defensive line likely to feature a string of top-liners priced over $600k. Daicos might get more midfield time in his second season but should still have DPP in KFC SuperCoach, and is so good behind the ball we’d be happy to see him stay there.

FALLEN PREMIUMS

Jake Lloyd (Sydney). Estimated price: $501,000 DEF

2018-2021 season average: 112.7 | 2022 average: 92.1

Lloyd was one of the most reliable picks in KFC SuperCoach from 2018-21, missing just one game in that time (when he was a late out due to Covid) and averaging 107 or better in each of those seasons. His durability was again a feature in 2022, playing 21 of 22 home-and-away games this year, but missing round 1 saved a lot of KFC SuperCoaches – including overall winner Jean-Paul Haigh. Lloyd wasn’t terrible but his numbers were down across the board – his average of 24.1 disposals a game was his lowest since 2015 and his KFC SuperCoach average of 92.1 was his lowest in six years. He was clearly hurt by the emergence of other players who eased the Swans’ reliance on Lloyd to move the ball, and by splitting the kick-ins with Nick Blakey (Lloyd took 101 this year and Blakey 90. Last year Lloyd took 133 with Jordan Dawson next at the Swans on 74). That mix would have to change next season to put Lloyd back on the watch list – although he did send a reminder of his pedigree with 25 disposals and two goals in Sydney’s qualifying final win against Melbourne.

Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn). Estimated price: $522,000 MID

2015-2021 season average: 114.5 | 2022 average: 96

In 2021 Mitchell was the archetypical fallen KFC SuperCoach premium, available for a bargain price mid-season before returning to the scoring machine we know and love. This year he looked set to repeat that trajectory when his price dipped under $500k in round 10. Except things didn’t really improve after that with five 100-plus scores in the final 12 rounds and an average of 96.3. Mitchell attended just 53 per cent of centre bounces this year, a huge drop from 70 per cent in 2021 and 74 per cent the year before. He still found the footy an average of 28 times a game but his kicking efficiency of 55.2 per cent was a career-low and his goalkicking accuracy was just 29.4 per cent. There is clear scope for improvement there but we would really need to see clear indications of a more central centre bounce role from Sam Mitchell – or a new club. However, Mitchell has enough runs on the board – and will be available at a serious discount for a guy who has started a season priced over $700k before – to not be written off this early.

Rory Sloane. Estimated price: $363,000 MID

2017-2021 season average: 98.9 | 2022 average: 83.5

Sloane had surgery after rupturing his ACL against Richmond in round 5. Of his three games before then, two produced scores of 98 and 100, and the Crows veteran knows how to score in KFC SuperCoach. He averaged 100-plus in seven of eight seasons from 2013-19 and 97 points a game as recently as 2021. He will turn 33 just before round 1 next season and his role in a rebuilding Crows team will be an interesting pre-season watch, but he’s likely to receive a 20 per cent discount from an already injury-affected 83.5 average. Mid-pricers are harder to pick in the midfield but what Matt Rowell produced this year should be the low end of what we can expect in 2023 for an all-time KFC SuperCoach gun.

Jordan Ridley (Essendon). Estimated price: $498,000 DEF

2020-2021 season average: 100.3 | 2022 average: 91.6

Will the real Jordan Ridley please stand up? Or at least the one we saw in the opening month of 2021, who was destined to become the best defender in KFC SuperCoach. Ridley opened that season with scores of 125, 136, 147 and 124. Discarding round 5 of 2021, when he was concussed on a score of 31, Ridley has averaged 92.8 points from 36 games since. Not too shabby, but also not the uber premium numbers most KFC SuperCoaches thought would become the norm. Ridley’s role was the issue this year, playing mostly as a key defender rather than in the intercept role he flourished in during 2020 and early in 2021. Champion Data guru Daniel Hoyne has suggested the Bombers should recruit a key defender to free up Ridley, a scenario KFC SuperCoach teams have been hoping would eventuate in the past 12-18 months. During that time Ridley has lost his monopoly on kick-ins due to Mason Redman’s emergence, and has not had the same attacking licence from halfback as he was introduced to the Bombers’ team with. Redman isn’t going anywhere, but maybe the development of Zach Reid is what KFC SuperCoaches need for Ridley to rediscover his elite scoring ability? Essendon’s next coach could do us all a massive favour as Ridley has all the ingredients to be scoring in the Stewart/Dawson mould. It all just comes back to his role.

Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane Lions). Estimated price: $494,000 MID

2020-2021 season average: 115 | 2022 average: 90.9

Lyons had two incredible seasons in 2020 and 2021 but his average of 90.9 this year is actually closer to his career norm. The Brisbane onballer has averaged between 89-99 in five of the past seven seasons, surprisingly low numbers considering how good he was in those two huge seasons. Lyons was still the fourth-ranked Lion this year, but his centre bounce attendances were well down on previous seasons. Lyons had 12 centre bounce attendances in the last game of the home-and-away season against Melbourne, behind Rhys Mathieson (16), Hugh McCluggage (17) and Lachie Neale (27), among others. There have been periods of the season where McCluggage’s move to a more inside role, Cameron Rayner’s extra midfield time and cameos from Zac Bailey and Deven Robertson have caused Lyon’s CBA rate to fall. As the Lions continue to transition towards a midfield led by Neale and McCluggage, Lyons faces a tall order to re-establish himself as a premium midfield KFC SuperCoach scorer. He was still No. 2 at the Lions for CBAs behind Neale in many games, but there was a noticeable drop-off. Lyons recorded career-best numbers for disposals, marks, tackles and clearances in 2021 but dropped off in each of those stats this year.
 
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11 bargains for your 2023 KFC SuperCoach watchlist
It’s never too early to start KFC SuperCoach planning for next year.

In the first of a four-part series, three of our KFC SuperCoach experts have identified 11 potential bargains to monitor during the off-season.

From injury-cursed former KFC SuperCoach studs to potential breakout stars, this list has something for everyone.

And it tells us new coaches Alastair Clarkson and Adam Kingsley could have a huge say in the final make-up of our teams, depending on how they use some potentially underpriced stars.

Scroll down to see which players should be on your watch list for 2023.

Lachie Whitfield (GWS Giants). Estimated price: $468,000 DEF/MID

Could we? Whitfield is on the ‘never again’ list of many KFC SuperCoaches after burning the more than 80,000 who started him this year at what we thought was a bargain price of $502k. But there were some excuses. Whitfield was played all over the field – often in the same game – and missed matches with ankle and hip injuries, which he probably also carried while he was in the team. His form improved under Mark McVeigh – averaging 94 after the Giants’ bye – but it will all come down to new coach Adam Kingsley and how he uses Whitfield in the pre-season. If he parks him at halfback and allows him to maximise his elite running and disposal, it will be hard to resist a 28-year-old priced at 86 who has averaged 90-plus in five of the past six seasons including 111 and 104 in 2019-20

Tarryn Thomas (North Melbourne). Estimated price: $292,000 MID/FWD

Can Alastair Clarkson unlock the true potential of North Melbourne’s No. 8 draft pick from 2018? We certainly hope so. Thomas looked certain to make the jump to KFC SuperCoach premium status after finishing the 2021 campaign with three tons in five matches and an average of 103 in his last seven games. His finish was so eye-catching, some coaches were willing to pay $459,300 at the start of this season to make sure they didn’t miss out on his breakout campaign. Yet, for a variety of reasons including form and role, Thomas’ average regressed from 84.4 to 53.7. He’s expected to be about $170k cheaper to start next season than he was in round 1 this year and will surely be one of the biggest pre-season focuses for KFC SuperCoaches. He’ll likely be about $65k more expensive than Will Brodie started this year, but the potential for a similar breakout season is clearly there. Thomas averaged 25 disposals, 131 KFC SuperCoach points and 7.4 score involvements in five VFL matches, including scores of 164 and 148. Over to you, Clarko.

Dustin Martin (Richmond). Estimated price: $474,000 MID/FWD

Richmond superstar Martin’s KFC SuperCoach average of 87.2 was his lowest since his debut campaign of 2010 and only the third time in his illustrious career he has averaged less than 90 points a game. Does that present a bargain or cause for concern? Martin had a lot go against him this year, returning from serious injury, taking time off for personal reasons and then being sidelined again. After scoring his annual round 1 ton against Carlton, Martin’s season-high 119 in round 9 was the only other time he hit triple figures. However, it’s worth noting he played more time forward than in previous years and still only scored less than 70 once. Of course, five scores of 69-83 in eight matches are a long way from premium numbers. But if Martin returns to anywhere near his damaging best, he could be a huge bargain. If priced at his average of 87, Martin will likely be available for about $450-470k. If a discount is applied for playing eight matches, Martin for less than $450k would be hard to resist – should he get through most of pre-season. With 35 trades, KFC SuperCoaches have enough to take a risk or two on a player and renowned fast starter Martin could well be worth the punt. The landscape changes significantly if he’s playing elsewhere next year, but that talk seems to have died down.


Nat Fyfe (Fremantle). Estimated price: $309,000 MID/FWD

Nat Fyfe for less than $350k? Surely not? It sounds crazy – even writing it felt wrong – but it might be a reality next year after the Freo skipper averaged 63.3 from seven games during an injury-hit 2022 season. If an injury discount is applied, Fyfe might even come in at closer to $300k. And, that’s before we even consider the fact he’s likely to be listed as a FWD/MID. Fyfe hasn’t started a season that cheap since 2011, his second year in the AFL. The obvious concern is his recent injury history. Fyfe has played only 36 games in the past three years, including seven in 2022. Picking injury-prone players is asking for trouble in KFC SuperCoach, but for hypothetical reasons let’s say he gets through pre-season. Even as a potential stepping stone to a more durable premium, could you really overlook a massively discounted Fyfe? Not if he has DPP, surely.

Will Phillips (North Melbourne). Estimated price: $207,000 MID-FWD

Let’s say the No. 3 draft pick from a few years back gets a 20 per cent discount after not playing a game this year? That would price Phillips about $207k to start the 2023 season, only $9k more than many coaches were prepared to pay to have him in their teams before his debut was pushed back to round 3 last year. Hoping for a 30 per cent discount might seem a bit rich, but we can only dream. Phillips managed only three VFL games this year (averaging 15 disposals and 54 KFC SuperCoach points) as he struggled with bouts of glandular fever and Covid. It’s been a rough start to AFL life for a player who posted huge numbers as a junior. North Melbourne’s most recent injury/health update said Phillips would have to build his loads during pre-season, having missed so much football this year. Depending on the rookie situation next year – and Phillips’ health – paying $190k or thereabouts might become a necessity. He was listed as a FWD/MID this year and should Phillips retain DPP status and work his way into Clarko’s plans, he might be the cheap F6 many coaches crave. Then again, that’s a lot of ifs and buts. Keep him in mind, but a lot would need to go right between now and round 1 of 2023 for him to feature in your KFC SuperCoach side.

Oscar Allen (West Coast). Estimated price: $242,000 FWD

Key forwards are usually a no-go area in KFC SuperCoach but we’ve seen in the past two years if they are cheap enough, they can make some serious cash. In 2021, Joe Daniher jumped in value by almost $200k in 10 rounds and this year SuperCoaches brave enough to start Charlie Curnow reaped a $250k profit after both started at a price similar to what Allen is likely to be next year. Allen didn’t play a game in 2022 due to a nagging foot injury but he will become even more crucial to the Eagles in 2023 after Josh Kennedy’s retirement. Back in 2020, he scored 152 against Collingwood en route to a season average of 78.6, right around the mark Daniher and Curnow hit in the past two years. Speaking of key forwards, Gold Coast’s Ben King is likely to be even cheaper coming back from knee surgery, but with just two tons from 53 games and a career-high average of 55, he’s probably a pass.
 
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Hunter Clark (St Kilda). Estimated price: $311,000 DEF

Could the injury-cursed Saint be the Jack Sinclair of 2023? The breakout ingredients are all there – top-10 draft pick entering his seventh season, and no one doubts Clark’s talent. Getting on the park regularly has been the issue – being subbed out at halftime in round 23 with a groin injury summed up another frustrating year. It’s fair to say he has shown glimpses rather than consistent evidence of elite KFC SuperCoach scoring ability (his best season average is 81.7 in 2020) but he will be priced at around a 60 average and the Saints are screaming out for some class through the midfield. Do the right thing, Ratts.

Dom Sheed (West Coast). Estimated price: $255,000 MID

Sheed epitomised the Eagles’ cursed 2022 season, suffering an ankle injury in the first practice match in February then going down again in his comeback game with a stress-related lower leg injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season. The result was one game for the year for a KFC SuperCoach score of 67. His extremely limited game time should deliver a huge price discount and he will start in the Will Brodie/Stephen Coniglio price range from this year. Sheed hasn’t been a premium scorer in the past but he has consistently averaged 80-plus with a career-best of 95 in West Coast’s premiership season. He should get regular midfield time and anything close to that would be enough for a big price bump.

Errol Gulden (Sydney). Estimated price: $466,000 FWD-MID

A premium jump was surely only a matter of time – after all, Gulden posted 139 and 136 in the opening two games of his career. Finishing the season with an average of 85.7 doesn’t exactly inspire confidence that Gulden can launch to 100-plus next season. What does, however, are the shifts we saw in his game and role this year. Gulden spent more time on a wing this season and won more possessions than his debut campaign behind the ball. The beauty is he spent more than enough time in the attacking 50 to still be listed as a FWD next year. Gulden’s average was ranked 33rd of this year’s forwards, but only 11 points off the top-10 (Adam Treloar was 10th at 96.4). In round 20 against the Giants, Gulden tallied career-high disposals (33), metres gained (697), marks (12) and inside-50s (10), on his way to a season-high 131 points. Those sort of performances will be the norm soon, possibly as soon as next year.


Harry Himmelberg (GWS Giants). Estimated price: $492,000 DEF/FWD

Next to moving Stephen Coniglio back into his preferred midfield role, the best thing Mark McVeigh did as interim GWS coach for KFC SuperCoaches was shifting Himmelberg to defence. Himmelberg’s price got as low as $318k after round 11, when he provided a sign of things to come with 126 points with 20 disposals and seven marks against Brisbane. The next match against North Melbourne was a monster – 16 marks, 37 disposals and almost 700m gained, for 187 points. Himmelberg will be priced at an average of about 91, yet averaged 112 from round 11 onwards. And he’s likely to retain DPP status. Expect him to be one of the top starting picks next year if Adam Kingsley continues what McVeigh started with Himmelberg in defence.

Hayden Young (Fremantle). Estimated price: $502,000 DEF

OK, a player costing about $500,000 doesn’t scream bargain pick. But Young is charting towards an average of 100-plus, having lifted his average from 77 to 92 this year. The reason he’s on this bargain list is that he could be a keeper for just over $500k. Between rounds 13-21 this year the 21-year-old ranked fifth of all general defenders in the AFL for uncontested possessions and marks, sixth for disposals and eighth for intercepts. Young finished the season with an elite disposal efficiency of 82.1 per cent, which compares favourably to top KFC SuperCoach defender Tom Stewart (84.2 per cent). Young averaged 97.3 from round 12 onwards. Perhaps the only question mark will be who out of Luke Ryan, Heath Chapman and Young start the year as the Dockers’ No. 1 distributor. Keep an eye on Freo’s back six set up as season 2023 draws closer.
 
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KFC SuperCoach 2023: Early rookie bible and cheapie analysis
It's never too early for rookie research. which young guns will we be filling our KFC SuperCoach teams with next year? Here’s 15 to add to your watchlist.

Dan Batten and The Phantom

6 min read
September 13, 2022 - 6:00AM

It’s never too early for KFC SuperCoach research.
The 2022 campaign has only just finished but already cheapies are putting their hand up for selection in our round 1 sides in 2023.

Whether they be draftees tearing it up, youngsters on the cusp of a debut or untried guns impacted by injury, there’s a host of options in the mix.

Rookies are the the building blocks of KFC SuperCoach, allowing you to upgrade your team as quick as possible and fill your team with premiums from the very start.

And they can even end up being keepers — as Collingwood Rising Star winner Nick Daicos turned out to be this year.

In the third edition of our (very early) pre-season series, we bring you 15 rookies to put on your watchlist.

Will Ashcroft (Brisbane)
SC Ave 2022: 130 (VFL), 166 (U18 Champs), 159 (NAB League)
It’s one thing to average more than 150-points at under-18 level, but his 130-point average from his three matches against seasoned bodies in the VFL is simply ridiculous for a player who is yet to be drafted. The Lions father-son has scored 119-points or more in all but one of his 17 matches – the first of the season – and was the No.1 ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer at the national championships and in the NAB League. Ashcroft would step straight into any AFL team next year – even the Lions who have a fairly settled centre-bounce set-up. The Nick Daicos of SuperCoach 2023 — but he won’t come cheap.

Darcy Wilmot (Brisbane)
SC Ave 2022: 56.5 (AFL), 83 (VFL)
KFC SuperCoaches will receive a nice gift in defence next season with Wilmot rookie price-tag remaining intact after making his AFL debut in the finals series, rather than round 23 (g’day Ross Lyon if you’re reading). The exciting playmaker has fitted in seamlessly in important finals wins, finsihing with promising scores of 52 and 61, looming as a round 1 starter in 2023. These totals have come from 11 and 15 disposals respectively, showcasing the running defender’s ability to reach solid on-field scores from limited possessions.

Campbell Chesser (West Coast)
SC Ave 2022: DNP
Chesser was a round 1 lock in KFC SuperCoach last pre-season before succumbing to a foot injury in a practice match. But he will be even better value this time around, with the blow set to see him price dip from the inflated $148,800 he started at this year. The Eagles will be eager to pump games into youngsters next year and the blistering defender should be a regular across halfback.

George Wardlaw
SC Ave 2022: 125 (NAB League)
He has been sidelined for most of the year, but Wardlaw has proved the main challenger to Will Ashcroft to be the first name read out on draft night. Wardlaw is an elite contested ball-winner, a fierce tackler and has been likened to Clayton Oliver. That comparison alone should be enough to put him on your 2023 watch-list.

Mattaes Phillipou MID-FWD
SC Ave 2022: 144 (SANFL U18s), 102 (U18CH), 83 (SANFL Reserves)
The top-10 pick contender models his game on Marcus Bontempelli – and he’s put together a junior career full of scores similar to the Bulldogs skipper. Phillipou, a tall, goalkicking midfielder, averaged 129 points across 25 SANFL under-18 games over the past two years and scored 181, on the back of 23 disposals, 16 contested possessions and two goals, in the national carnival opener in 2022.

Elijah Tsatas MID
SC Ave 2022: 149 (NAB League)
The breakaway speed and game-changing qualities of Tsatas will put him in the frame for senior action in his debut season at whichever club snaps him up the pointy-end of the draft. And his scores of 102, 154, 165, 126, 161 and 186 in an injury-interrupted NAB League season put him firmly on the KFC SuperCoach radar.

Mitch Szybkowski
SC Ave 2022: 120 (U18 Champs), 116 (NAB Leagie)
The other potential draftees on this list are likely to be expensive, but Szybwkoski looks to be in the mid-first round to second round range - and the further he slides, the cheaper he will be for coaches. Szybkowski ranked fifth at the national carnival for KFC SuperCoach points and equal second for disposals, with his ball-winning and ready-made frame as a midfielder giving him the capacity to push for senior selection next year.

Josh Sinn (Port Adelaide) DEF-MID
SC Ave 2022: 24 (AFL), 35 (SANFL)
Port Adelaide’s first pick from last year’s draft scored just 24 KFC SuperCoach points in his one and only game in an injury-ravaged 2022 – but that’s good news for his price next year. He was a surprise early-season debutant, before a groin injury marred most of his season, on the back of Port’s need for Sinn’s speed and line-breaking run. And, with a full pre-season, it’s likely to be a similar story in 2023.

Lachie Cowan
SC Ave 2022: 141 (NAB League), 100 (U18 Champs)
Running defenders are generally consistent rookie scorers in KFC SuperCoach, and Cowan’s dash and penetrating kick mean his teammates are always looking for him. The Morrish medallist loves to use his footskills, recording a kick to handball ratio of three in the NAB League, and post SuperCoach tons in all 12 of his matches. A kick-in pig of the future.

Ned Moyle (Gold Coast)
SC Ave 2022: 111 (VFL)
Moyle is the heir to Jarrod Witts’ thrown and if the 2022 breakout performer goes down, as he has in previous seasons, expect the talented young ruckman to fill his place. The 2021 mid-season draftee posted impressive numbers in the VFL this season, averaging 111 KFC SuperCoach points, 39.1 hitouts, 14 disposals and 5.4 clearances per game, proving that he is capable of stepping up to the plate at senior level. Turning 21 next year, Moyle shapes as the one of the better cheap rucks on offer, but he remains behind Witts in the queue.

Charlie Dean (Collingwood) DEF
SC Ave 2022: 60 (VFL)
SC Ave 2021: 85 (VFL)

The mature-age recruit was the great KFC SuperCoach rookie hope last summer, before a pre-season foot injury dashed the hopes of a Round 1 debut, before wiping out most of his season. But the 21-year-old Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medalist is an intercept star, who will be ready to fill a hole in Collingwood’s backline, providing he gets his body right.

Jacob van Rooyen (Melbourne)
SC Ave 2022: 87 (VFL)
The swingman settled in attack at VFL level for the Demons in his first season, where has kicked 36 goals from 17 matches. And his form as a marking tall in the back-half of the year has put him in the mix for a round 1 debut next year, averaging 98.5 points and slotting 19 majors from his last eight games. Key forwards generally aren’t our friends in SuperCoach, but we may not have the embarrassment of riches with forward rookies that we did this year.

Zac Taylor (Adelaide) MID
SC Ave 2021: 82 (SANFL)
SC Ave 2021: 126 (NAB League)

The young Crow’s KFC SuperCoach potential was on show during his draft year, with the skilful midfielder averaging 159 points in his final four NAB League matches. And he could get a chance to put it on show at senior level in 2023, after an impressive finish to this season in the SANFL. Taylor averaged 98 points in his last eight matches of the year, impressing with his composure during the finals series.

Brett Turner (Adelaide) MID
SC Ave 2022: 99 (SANFL)
SC Ave 2021: 114 (SANFL)

After posting scores of 154 and 184 in the opening month of the SANFL season for Glenelg, Turner was picked by the Crows in the mid-season draft. But he arrived at the club injured and didn’t get his chance at senior level. That could change if he receives a new contract, however, after the strong-bodied midfielder averaged 26 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 11 tackles, nine clearances and 121 points in the final three games, to be the club’s best player in the state league finals.

Adam D’Aloia MID
SC Ave 2022: 150 (SANFL U18s), 133 (U18CH), 124 (SANFL Reserves)
These are D’Aloia’s SuperCoach scores at junior level this year: 135, 156, 118, 148, 118, 188, 200, 141, 112, 148, 143 and 130 – the last four coming at national under-18 carnival. Add to that eight scores of 100 or more in his 10 SANFL under-18 games as a bottom-ager in 2021, and tallies of 112, 172, 196 and 138 in his seven reserves matches for the Eagles this year, and it’s a pretty impressive resume. He just needs to final an AFL home now – KFC SuperCoaches should watch with fingers crossed.
 

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KFC SuperCoach 2023: Early rookie bible and cheapie analysis
It's never too early for rookie research. which young guns will we be filling our KFC SuperCoach teams with next year? Here’s 15 to add to your watchlist.

Dan Batten and The Phantom

6 min read
September 13, 2022 - 6:00AM

It’s never too early for KFC SuperCoach research.
The 2022 campaign has only just finished but already cheapies are putting their hand up for selection in our round 1 sides in 2023.

Whether they be draftees tearing it up, youngsters on the cusp of a debut or untried guns impacted by injury, there’s a host of options in the mix.

Rookies are the the building blocks of KFC SuperCoach, allowing you to upgrade your team as quick as possible and fill your team with premiums from the very start.

And they can even end up being keepers — as Collingwood Rising Star winner Nick Daicos turned out to be this year.

In the third edition of our (very early) pre-season series, we bring you 15 rookies to put on your watchlist.

Will Ashcroft (Brisbane)
SC Ave 2022: 130 (VFL), 166 (U18 Champs), 159 (NAB League)
It’s one thing to average more than 150-points at under-18 level, but his 130-point average from his three matches against seasoned bodies in the VFL is simply ridiculous for a player who is yet to be drafted. The Lions father-son has scored 119-points or more in all but one of his 17 matches – the first of the season – and was the No.1 ranked KFC SuperCoach scorer at the national championships and in the NAB League. Ashcroft would step straight into any AFL team next year – even the Lions who have a fairly settled centre-bounce set-up. The Nick Daicos of SuperCoach 2023 — but he won’t come cheap.

Darcy Wilmot (Brisbane)
SC Ave 2022: 56.5 (AFL), 83 (VFL)
KFC SuperCoaches will receive a nice gift in defence next season with Wilmot rookie price-tag remaining intact after making his AFL debut in the finals series, rather than round 23 (g’day Ross Lyon if you’re reading). The exciting playmaker has fitted in seamlessly in important finals wins, finsihing with promising scores of 52 and 61, looming as a round 1 starter in 2023. These totals have come from 11 and 15 disposals respectively, showcasing the running defender’s ability to reach solid on-field scores from limited possessions.

Campbell Chesser (West Coast)
SC Ave 2022: DNP
Chesser was a round 1 lock in KFC SuperCoach last pre-season before succumbing to a foot injury in a practice match. But he will be even better value this time around, with the blow set to see him price dip from the inflated $148,800 he started at this year. The Eagles will be eager to pump games into youngsters next year and the blistering defender should be a regular across halfback.

George Wardlaw
SC Ave 2022: 125 (NAB League)
He has been sidelined for most of the year, but Wardlaw has proved the main challenger to Will Ashcroft to be the first name read out on draft night. Wardlaw is an elite contested ball-winner, a fierce tackler and has been likened to Clayton Oliver. That comparison alone should be enough to put him on your 2023 watch-list.

Mattaes Phillipou MID-FWD
SC Ave 2022: 144 (SANFL U18s), 102 (U18CH), 83 (SANFL Reserves)
The top-10 pick contender models his game on Marcus Bontempelli – and he’s put together a junior career full of scores similar to the Bulldogs skipper. Phillipou, a tall, goalkicking midfielder, averaged 129 points across 25 SANFL under-18 games over the past two years and scored 181, on the back of 23 disposals, 16 contested possessions and two goals, in the national carnival opener in 2022.

Elijah Tsatas MID
SC Ave 2022: 149 (NAB League)
The breakaway speed and game-changing qualities of Tsatas will put him in the frame for senior action in his debut season at whichever club snaps him up the pointy-end of the draft. And his scores of 102, 154, 165, 126, 161 and 186 in an injury-interrupted NAB League season put him firmly on the KFC SuperCoach radar.

Mitch Szybkowski
SC Ave 2022: 120 (U18 Champs), 116 (NAB Leagie)
The other potential draftees on this list are likely to be expensive, but Szybwkoski looks to be in the mid-first round to second round range - and the further he slides, the cheaper he will be for coaches. Szybkowski ranked fifth at the national carnival for KFC SuperCoach points and equal second for disposals, with his ball-winning and ready-made frame as a midfielder giving him the capacity to push for senior selection next year.

Josh Sinn (Port Adelaide) DEF-MID
SC Ave 2022: 24 (AFL), 35 (SANFL)
Port Adelaide’s first pick from last year’s draft scored just 24 KFC SuperCoach points in his one and only game in an injury-ravaged 2022 – but that’s good news for his price next year. He was a surprise early-season debutant, before a groin injury marred most of his season, on the back of Port’s need for Sinn’s speed and line-breaking run. And, with a full pre-season, it’s likely to be a similar story in 2023.

Lachie Cowan
SC Ave 2022: 141 (NAB League), 100 (U18 Champs)
Running defenders are generally consistent rookie scorers in KFC SuperCoach, and Cowan’s dash and penetrating kick mean his teammates are always looking for him. The Morrish medallist loves to use his footskills, recording a kick to handball ratio of three in the NAB League, and post SuperCoach tons in all 12 of his matches. A kick-in pig of the future.

Ned Moyle (Gold Coast)
SC Ave 2022: 111 (VFL)
Moyle is the heir to Jarrod Witts’ thrown and if the 2022 breakout performer goes down, as he has in previous seasons, expect the talented young ruckman to fill his place. The 2021 mid-season draftee posted impressive numbers in the VFL this season, averaging 111 KFC SuperCoach points, 39.1 hitouts, 14 disposals and 5.4 clearances per game, proving that he is capable of stepping up to the plate at senior level. Turning 21 next year, Moyle shapes as the one of the better cheap rucks on offer, but he remains behind Witts in the queue.

Charlie Dean (Collingwood) DEF
SC Ave 2022: 60 (VFL)
SC Ave 2021: 85 (VFL)

The mature-age recruit was the great KFC SuperCoach rookie hope last summer, before a pre-season foot injury dashed the hopes of a Round 1 debut, before wiping out most of his season. But the 21-year-old Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medalist is an intercept star, who will be ready to fill a hole in Collingwood’s backline, providing he gets his body right.

Jacob van Rooyen (Melbourne)
SC Ave 2022: 87 (VFL)
The swingman settled in attack at VFL level for the Demons in his first season, where has kicked 36 goals from 17 matches. And his form as a marking tall in the back-half of the year has put him in the mix for a round 1 debut next year, averaging 98.5 points and slotting 19 majors from his last eight games. Key forwards generally aren’t our friends in SuperCoach, but we may not have the embarrassment of riches with forward rookies that we did this year.

Zac Taylor (Adelaide) MID
SC Ave 2021: 82 (SANFL)
SC Ave 2021: 126 (NAB League)

The young Crow’s KFC SuperCoach potential was on show during his draft year, with the skilful midfielder averaging 159 points in his final four NAB League matches. And he could get a chance to put it on show at senior level in 2023, after an impressive finish to this season in the SANFL. Taylor averaged 98 points in his last eight matches of the year, impressing with his composure during the finals series.

Brett Turner (Adelaide) MID
SC Ave 2022: 99 (SANFL)
SC Ave 2021: 114 (SANFL)

After posting scores of 154 and 184 in the opening month of the SANFL season for Glenelg, Turner was picked by the Crows in the mid-season draft. But he arrived at the club injured and didn’t get his chance at senior level. That could change if he receives a new contract, however, after the strong-bodied midfielder averaged 26 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 11 tackles, nine clearances and 121 points in the final three games, to be the club’s best player in the state league finals.

Adam D’Aloia MID
SC Ave 2022: 150 (SANFL U18s), 133 (U18CH), 124 (SANFL Reserves)
These are D’Aloia’s SuperCoach scores at junior level this year: 135, 156, 118, 148, 118, 188, 200, 141, 112, 148, 143 and 130 – the last four coming at national under-18 carnival. Add to that eight scores of 100 or more in his 10 SANFL under-18 games as a bottom-ager in 2021, and tallies of 112, 172, 196 and 138 in his seven reserves matches for the Eagles this year, and it’s a pretty impressive resume. He just needs to final an AFL home now – KFC SuperCoaches should watch with fingers crossed.
What? No Will Gould! :geek:
 
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KFC SuperCoach AFL: Prices revealed for 2023, Rory Laird most expensive player
Start your planning for the next KFC SuperCoach AFL season here. See the top-priced players in every position plus key recruits, discounts and rookies.
Al Paton
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2 min read
December 16, 2022 - 12:18PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
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Jack Crisp reveals Pies’ 2023 midfield plans
Pies midfielder Jack Crisp says the addition of Tom Mitchell will help address the first possession issue for the 2023 season
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Rory Laird was overlooked by every club in the 2011 draft before slipping to the Crows as a rookie pick.
He has gone on to play over 200 games, win All-Australian selection twice and Adelaide’s best-and-fairest three times. Now he can add another achievement to the list after being crowned the most expensive player in KFC SuperCoach for 2023.
From today SuperCoach Plus subscribers can access the early team picker and start assembling a squad for 2023. Sign up for SuperCoach Plus now to gain access or use your News Corp masthead subscription or subscribe to Code Sports for the introductory offer of just $1 for six months.
Laird has been priced at $703,900, the only player above $700,000 – rare air previously occupied by superstars like Gary Ablett Jr, Patrick Dangerfield and Max Gawn.
Laird’s price tag is reward for not only his incredible output – averaging 127.8 points a game in 2022 – but his remarkable consistency. After missing the first two rounds through injury, Laird scored 114 or more in 18 of his 20 games, and the other scores were 93 and 97. In a hot streak after the Crows’ mid-season bye, the AFL’s leading disposal winner averaged 147 KFC SuperCoach points over seven rounds with a low score of 125.
Demon Clayton Oliver falls just short of the $700k mark, priced at $699,800 after averaging 127.1 last season, while Lachie Neale will set KFC SuperCoach players back $676,200 – $133,000 more than his 2022 bargain starting price.
The seven most expensive players in 2023, and 16 of the top 20, are midfielders. The exceptions are defenders Jack Sinclair ($626,200), James Sicily ($624,700) and rucks Max Gawn ($622,100) and Jarrod Witts ($605,100).
The ruck line is sure to create debate heading into next season, with Gawn joined at Melbourne by ex-Magpie Brodie Grundy. A KFC SuperCoach gun in his own right, Grundy has been priced at $512,900 and could present significant value – depending on how Simon Goodwin plans to use his superstar duo.
The priciest forward is Brisbane recruit Josh Dunkley ($596,400 MID-FWD), ahead of Stephen Coniglio ($557,700 MID-FWD) and Isaac Heeney ($557,100 FWD).
Prices for other big-name recruits include Izak Rankine ($386,000 FWD), Tim Taranto ($503,100 MID-FWD), Tom Mitchell ($528,600 MIID), Jack Bowes ($277,500 DEF) and Jason Horne-Francis ($348,800 MID-FWD).
Players to receive significant discounts after missing much – or all – of 2022 due to injury include Rory Sloane ($413,800 MID), Elliot Yeo ($337,000 DEF), Nick Coffield ($208,800) and Ben King ($176,300 FWD).
Meanwhile, two players returning to the AFL after self-imposed absences could also be bargain selections. Liam Jones is back at the Bulldogs and will cost $228,100, while new Lion Conor McKenna is just $167,500. Both are listed as defenders in KFC SuperCoach.
The most expensive first-year player is No.1 draft pick Aaron Cadman ($207,300 FWD) while No.2 draft pick Will Ashcroft will be a popular selection as a $202,800 MID. Other top-end draftees include Harry Sheezel ($198,300 FWD), George Wardlaw ($193,800 MID), Elijah Tsatas ($189,300 MID) and Mattaes Phillipou ($166,800 MID-FWD).
Cheapie hunters will note the price of “experienced” rookies Campbell Chesser ($123,900 DEF), Josh Sinn ($123,900 MID-FWD) and Darcy Wilmot ($123,900 DEF), who have all had a year in the AFL system and, in the case of Sinn and Wilmot, some brief exposure at the top level.
Twenty-nine players have been handed the bargain basement $102,400 price tag including exciting Essendon rookie Anthony Munkara.
Access all the prices and start picking your team by subscribing to SuperCoach Plus now!
KFC SUPERCOACH 2023 TOP-PRICED PLAYERS
DEFENDERS

Jack Sinclair (StK) $626,200
James Sicily (Haw) $624,700
Tom Stewart (Geel) $604,000
Sam Docherty (Carl) $603,600
Jordan Dawson (Adel) $603,100
MIDFIELDERS
Rory Laird (Adel) $703,900
Clayton Oliver (Melb) $699,800
Lachie Neale (Bris) $676,200
Touk Miller (GC) $662,400
Callum Mills (Syd) $642,400
RUCKS
Max Gawn (Melb) $622,100
Jarrod Witts (GC) $605,100
Tim English (WB) $581,000
Sean Darcy (Frem) $562,200
Reilly O'Brien (Adel) $560,500
FORWARDS
Josh Dunkley (Bris) $596,400 MID-FWD
Stephen Coniglio (GWS) $557,700 MID-FWD
Isaac Heeney (Syd) $557,100
Zak Butters (Port) $529,400 MID-FWD
Dylan Moore (Haw) $521,000
 
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